This invention relates to a method and apparatus for holding an assembly that can be mounted on structural parts, particularly for mounting a radiator module on the body of a motor vehicle.
For mounting an assembly on structural parts, numerous types of connecting elements are known which act between the above-mentioned devices. Thus, for example, European Patent Document EP-B-0 226 914 shows and describes a radiator fastening system in a motor vehicle in which supporting brackets extending under the radiator or the radiator module are used as connecting elements of the support holding device with respect to the body of the motor vehicle. These supporting brackets are of a type which must be arranged separately on the vehicle body before the installation of the radiator module. Only then may the radiator module be arranged by means of elastic elements on the supporting brackets for installation in the vehicle body. This known arrangement for the mounting of an assembly, particularly of a radiator module, on the body of motor vehicles, is costly.
Furthermore, this known arrangement is not suitable for a production process in which assemblies or assembly groups for the connection with the body of a motor vehicle are guided automatically to the vehicle body by way of mounting frames or mounting assembly carriers, as shown for example in the German Patent Document DE-A-39 06 616 or the European Patent Document EP-B-0 226 914.
The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for, therefore, mounting an assembly on structural parts by means of a connecting element, with the latter being guided in the mounting direction of the assembly (relative to the respective structural part) and being connected with the structural part for its arrangement.
By means of the self-locking arrangement of the connecting elements according to the invention a simple mounting is achieved which applies particularly advantageously to connecting elements connected with the assembly. Furthermore, the method and apparatus according to the invention impose no limitation with respect to the mounting direction. In a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, guides, which are arranged on structural parts, interact with the connecting elements. These guides are advantageously used for-the moving the assembly into its final installed position, in which it is secured by the self-locking of the connecting elements with the guides. The combination of the connecting element, the guide and the self-locking is particularly advantageous for a mounting of assemblies carried out by robots.
A connecting element, which is particularly well suited for automatic mounting, has a self-locking supporting bracket which interacts with structure-side guides in the form of flanges. The supporting bracket is designed as a one-piece plastic preform, and is equipped with tongues which by means of detent noses elastically act on both sides of a flange. The detent noses engage in a through opening of the flange, with the detent noses and the through opening each having detent surfaces arranged transversely to the mounting and loading direction. The combination of the tongues, which elastically act upon each flange, with the detent surfaces arranged as described above, advantageously results in a self-locking arrangement the effect of which increases as the load rises.
In addition, the supporting bracket, for automatic mounting (preferably on a vehicle body), is equipped with a centering device oriented on the vehicle body side which assists in positioning, and an inserting horn for the structure-side or body-side flanges which, in addition, are gripped by guide slots arranged next to the tongues on the supporting bracket. The combination of the centering device and the guide slots provides an additional rotational securing of the supporting brackets relative to the flanges, so that a minimum of apparatus is achieved for the perfect positioning of each console on the vehicle body. Finally, by means of the central arrangement of one detent nose of one tongue between two detent noses of the oppositely arranged tongue engaging from both sides in the through opening of the flange, a division is achieved which advantageously results in a uniform introduction of force into the supporting bracket.
The supporting bracket according to a further embodiment of the invention is preferably used for the holding a radiator module on the body of a motor vehicle. In a process according to the invention for the installation of the radiator module, the self-locking radiator supporting brackets, together with the radiator module, are inserted along a straight path from below into the body of the motor vehicle or are moved in by means of a mounting assembly carrier. Several assemblies may be arranged on the mounting assembly carrier, in which case the radiator module is positioned in its installed position, connected by a connecting hose to a drive assembly arranged on the mounting carrier. Thus, separate devices for fixing the installed position of the radiator module during the installation are eliminated.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.